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Posted 8/17/2018 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I would like to know from members who have had their wrap for over a year does the gas and bloating ever go away or is it something you live with for the rest of your life? and also are there other issues you end up living with for the rest of your life other than not burping or vomiting?



Thank you
Tena
Posted 8/17/2018 3:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tena,

I've had my wrap for almost 5 years. In my experience the bloating improved over time, but I still have a lot of gas that ultimately moves downward because I cannot voluntarily burp (and when I do involuntarily burp they are small). I also have dealt with a lot of diarrhea since the surgery but that could be in part because my gallbladder was removed about two weeks before my fundoplication. I used to occasionally have extreme stomach pain from the gas but it's been at least a few years since I had that issue.

Recently I've really irritated/possibly damaged my wrap by dry heaving on and off for about an hour and half so try your best to avoid heaving/retching. (Zofran wouldn't touch the nausea.) I found that I could not vomit, but the dry heaving is definitely hard on the wrap.
Posted 8/17/2018 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
The gas somewhat subsides, but doesn't completely go away.
Posted 8/17/2018 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you both for your reply.. it nice to know that the gas pain and bloat generally subside.. not so much though about the gas sticking around. I had retching 3.5 months after surgery I don't think it hurt the wrap. have either of you went on any kind of diet type plan to reduce gas? or exercise program? I have recently gone back to a Nutritionist who thinks all my gas and bloating are due to chronic slow motility in my bowels. she thinks once I get to moving regularly the gas and bloating will stop.. that was sorta the reason for the question.. I don't know if that will make it all go away? if this is a side effect from the surgery it probably wouldn't go away completely? I sure would like to know of anyone who had this surgery removed and did things get better or worse.. I have really struggled with this for a yr. now... I also had my gallbladder removed in 2009.


Thanks alot
Tena

Post Edited (Tena believes) : 8/17/2018 12:13:50 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/17/2018 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Tena - I haven't had any issues with slow motility so can't really give input on that specifically, but it does seem to make logical sense that the longer food sits in your digestive system, the greater opportunity it has to create gas. To clarify on my earlier post, I really don't have gas trapped in my stomach so much anymore, I am just more gassy from the 'back door' than I was pre-surgery (again, could be due to lack of gallbladder as well). For now it might make sense to avoid foods that are known to produce more gas during digestion or foods that tend to keep you feeling full longer by taking longer for the stomach to process if you are having trouble with gas trapped in the stomach.

I have found that even gentle exercise such as walking tends to help move digestion along.

Would you mind describing the retching you had 3.5 months post surgery? Was it one dry heave and over with or was it ongoing over a period of time? So afraid I have messed things up permanently as I am now having recurrent symptoms. Have read a lot of conflicting things about the impact of heaving on the wrap, so I guess it varies depending on the person/wrap and extent of heaving.
Posted 8/17/2018 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
Teena:

The gas/bloating is usually a result of you no longer being able to belch as before, and the gas has only one way to escape. In my experience, it doesn't completely go away. Have you spoken to the doctor about slow motility testing, or just the nutritionist?

Sharon
Posted 8/17/2018 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
KitKat:

If you are concerned about the dry-heaving, and the symptoms that you are experiencing, I would call your surgeon to express your concerns. He may suggest further testing to see if the wrap was compromised.

Sharon
Posted 8/17/2018 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Sharon, for your reply. I went to see my surgeon about 3 weeks ago (details in another thread I posted earlier today so as not to completely hijack this one). In short, he thinks everything is inflamed. He did order a barium swallow, which showed no reflux and no structural abnormalities (i.e. no 'slipped' wrap, no sign of recurrent hiatal hernia). I was really struggling with pain in my back and pain when swallowing. After a few weeks of liquid diet, that has improved, but as soon as I try to switch to soft foods, some of the pain comes back. Also having some regurgitation and a feeling in my stomach like I need to burp but can't, creating upward pressure that very quickly subsides.

I don't remember feeling this bad two weeks out during recovery after surgery, and I'm now 5 weeks out from my dry heaving incident. I had forgotten how miserable this all was after 4.5 years of relief and so I'm finding I am not very patient.

Back to the surgeon on Monday to report progress/lack thereof and to see what comes next in terms of testing.
Posted 8/20/2018 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
I had mine wrapped about 11 years ago and I do still have

some gas pains along with diarrhea. The most agonizing

thing about it is when you get choked on something or when

you are eating without something to drink, it can make you

feel as if you are choking to death. Just make sure you chew

your food real good and have plenty of liquids and you should

not have any problems.
Posted 8/21/2018 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your reply.. would you say the gas is kinda normal I mean we all have gas whether we have had a nissen or not? I don't have problems with choking or anything like that thank God... the gas and bloating is enough... and I have the opposite problem down below..


Tena
Posted 9/7/2018 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
I'm just curious for anyone whose had the wrap longer than 18 months. I did do a previous update on my progress at 14 months and I mentioned my mini-burps, they're quite annoying but I no longer reflux or the symptoms that accompanies it. They feel like puffs off air. I can conjure up my own burp but it's like a massive burp as pre-op, it's like I said the puff off airs. They're quite annoying but perhaps I'm drinking to fast, eating to quickly but These have only come back few days ago.

John
Posted 9/9/2018 5:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Tena,
I'm 3+ years post-op. The gas/bloat does get better - some things that helped and continue to help me is not eating too many carbs. I make sure my diet consists of fruits, vegetables, fish and chicken. If you are eating breads, potatoes, rice, etc. see if you can add flax meal to them. That helps things move along quicker. Also, working out does help me but even just making sure to walk after meals is very beneficial. On occasion, I drink some prune juice since it seems to act quite fast if I've eaten something that seems to be a little 'stuck' and causing bloating. The nurses had also taught me this massage to stimulate the vagus nerve that can sometimes be damaged or get sluggish causing food to not move fast enough. See if you can ask your doctor how to do that? The gas is much less than it was the first year. And I can almost pinpoint which foods might cause gas/bloat and simply avoid them. Also, I take Gas-X when needed and it helps a lot. Hope this helps...
Reena

Post Edited (reena20) : 9/8/2018 11:28:17 PM (GMT-6)

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